The champagne spray that usually fades with the fireworks lingered a little longer after Singapore — and not for the reasons Mercedes would’ve wanted.
Petronas president and CEO Tengku Muhammad Taufik has apologised after joining in the Marina Bay podium celebrations, where he collected the Constructors’ trophy for Mercedes and took part in the traditional post-race champagne shower alongside race winner George Russell, Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. The moment, perfectly standard in Formula 1, ignited a backlash at home in Malaysia, where alcohol is prohibited by Islam and sensitivities around such displays run high.
With no Malaysian Grand Prix on the calendar, Singapore is as close as it gets to a home race for Petronas, Mercedes’ long-time title sponsor and fuel partner. Taufik was the team’s representative on the podium after Russell’s composed Singapore victory — a significant result in Mercedes’ 2025 campaign — and in the melee he ended up both being sprayed and spraying the bottle himself.
The reaction back home was swift. Taufik issued a statement accepting responsibility and offering an unqualified apology.
“I felt honoured when I was invited to receive the Winning Constructor Trophy on the team’s behalf,” he said. “However, I acknowledge that my spontaneous, spur-of-the-moment exuberance in celebrating that moment of victory may have been misplaced. While I can categorically state I did not consume any alcohol, as a Muslim, I should have been more aware of the sensitivities associated with taking part in such celebrations. Accordingly, I want to apologise for any unintended offence caused and take full responsibility for my actions.”
He used the moment to underline Petronas’ pride in its F1 work too: “The successes we deliver now and in the upcoming era of sustainable fuels will indeed bear testimony to Malaysian innovation and capabilities.”
That may not cool every head. Political voices in Malaysia kept the pressure on, with some calling for internal action from the state-owned oil company. Wan Anwar Wan Ibrahim, who heads the arts, culture and sports bureau of the Amanah party, argued that being overcome by the occasion wasn’t sufficient explanation for someone in Taufik’s position. Bersatu’s youth wing, Armada, went further, condemning the act and suggesting Muslim leaders should simply step off the podium during champagne celebrations and return once it’s done.
The optics are complicated. Petronas isn’t just another sponsor badge on a car — it’s a national symbol with decades of F1 involvement woven into Malaysia’s industrial story. When a state-backed CEO is front and centre on a global broadcast, the domestic conversation is never far behind.
Inside the paddock, the incident felt like the sort of cultural tripwire F1 has learned to navigate. The sport’s ceremonial protocol has already adapted in various places around the calendar, and there’s nothing to stop a representative briefly stepping back while the corks fly. It’s not a novel fix. Plenty of drivers and team personnel who don’t drink — for religious or personal reasons — opt out without fanfare. And if we’re honest, nobody will dock points for taking a half-step towards the back of the rostrum for 20 seconds.
For Mercedes and Petronas, the episode is a reminder that global partnerships come with local expectations. There’s also the simple reality that a title sponsor’s decision-making will be interpreted through a national lens, especially in a year when on-track momentum matters. The Singapore win was a clear highlight in Mercedes’ 2025 season and another strong day for George Russell, who’s been carrying the team’s Sundays with increasing authority.
It would be a surprise if this escalated far beyond what we’ve seen already. Taufik has apologised, taken ownership and stressed he didn’t consume alcohol. The calls for censure may continue in some quarters, but internally this looks like a lesson learned rather than a saga-in-waiting. Expect a small tweak to the choreography next time a Petronas representative is ushered towards a podium — and expect everyone to move on.
The wider question is an old one: how does a global sport keep its traditions while showing respect to different cultures on a 24-race world tour? The answer, as ever, is pragmatism. Formula 1 is extremely good at that. If the champagne moment needs a discreet workaround now and then, it’s hardly going to spoil the show.
For now, Mercedes can give itself credit for engineering a statement weekend in Singapore and get back to the business that actually counts — building on the performance that put Russell on the top step in the first place. The next trophies will come with the same roar and the same flashbulbs. The splash, you suspect, might be handled a touch differently.
